Tray and like conveyer



April 14, 1931. 1 P. BUNCE 1,801,034

TRAY AND LIKE CONVEYER April 14, 1931. J. P. BUNCE 1,801,034

I TRAY AND LIKE CONVEYER Filed Nov. -l. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/ @WJ @aApril 14, 1931. L P, BUNCE l 1,801,034

TRAY AND LIKE CONVEYER Filed Nov. .1, 19278 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 14,.1931- J. P. BUNcE TRAY AND LIKE CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FiledNov. 1,l1928 association with the goods or face of the Patented Apr. l14, 1931UNITED STATES- "PATENT GWENDOLINE DENN IN G BUN CE,

DECEASED, LATE OF WILLESDEN,

ADMINISTRATRIX, OF

i OFFICE LONDON, ENGLAND, BY GREENFORD, ENGLAND, AS-

SIGNOR T BAKER PERKINS COMPANY INC., OF SAGINAV,` MICHIGAN i TRAY ANDLIKE CONVE'YER Application led November 1, 1928, Serial No. 316,568,-and inrGreat Britain November 3, 1927.

This invention relates to conveyers such as endless or chain conveyersof thekind adapted to carry a series of trays or platforms on whichloose goods or goods liable to become loose are transported, theinvention being particularly applicable in connection 'withtray-conveyers carrying moulded fondante or other sweetlneats, orchocolatel which has been deposited in the trays in a plastic state andsubsequently cooled into slabs intended eventually to be delivered fromthe trays at an appropriate time or place.

For delivery purposes it is necessary or convenient to cause the traysto be inverted but it will be appreciated mere inversion would producehaphazard discharge ofthe contents and that reliable delivery at anappointed place without shock is to be desired whether the contents bein unit form, as in the case of slabs of chocolate or the like, orwhether it comprises more than one constituent, for example starch andfondants or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide means adapted to invertthe trays and to prevent the displacement or falling of the goods fromthey are being inverted or until the desired time for their deliveryarrives, and a further object of the invention is to provide improvedmeans adapted to facilitate appropriate discharge of the goods from thetrays, and Where necessary separate the constitu` ents of the contentsthereof, so that such are deposited from the inverted trays at thedesired time or place or in a suitable order or sequence which bothfacilitates collection and at the same time ensures the absence ofdamage to or spoliation of finish of the goods.

According tothe invention at a turning point in the conveyer whichinverts or aids in the inversion of the trays, a lid or covering meansis provided and adapted temporarily to come in succession into contactor trays on the inward or out-ward sideof the inversion path, or as thetrays arrive at the turning point.`

, The invention further consists in causingV the conveyer to make a lapor turn which 1ntrays or the like while verts the trays and subsequentlyto follow a path wherein the inverted trays are sub- ]ected to acontents-ejecting faction such as that of shaking or rapping,to causethem to deposit their contents upon anauxiliary travelling conveyeradapted to" facilitate collection, separation or the like. i Theauxiliary conveyer or band may be of impervious material or it may be ofa mesh or net "structure whereby itis adapted to serve additionally as aseparating or sieving means for `separating or `dividing theconstituents of the tray contents one from another, as for example theseparation of fondants or the like from the moulding starch.

The means for preventing falling or displacement-of the goods before theproper time may comprise a polygonal roller or rotary device the facetsof which or certain of them) are more or less coex'tensive withthewtrays and adapted successively to register therewith. The roller maybe lapped by or associated with a covering band or endlessauxiliaryconveyer belt adapted to conform to the character of the shape oftheroller as it passes into association therewith, and this' conveyer orbelt may conveniently be extended and utilized as the delivery conLveyer referred to above@ The `arrangement according to the invention maybe such that the facetsof the roller engage with the faces of the traysor With the backs thereof. In the latter case the auxiliary conveyer orband is arranged so as to act asa covering for the tray faces.A

According to a further feature of the in ventionthe polygonal roller maybe hollov7 and have its facets constituted of openvvork or sieve-likeform, internally" arranged conveyer or discharge means being adapted todeliver the separated material in an axial direction.

In the accompanying drawings z- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectionalside elevation illustrating the employment of an auxiliary conveyer forseparating or sieving purposes. y v

Figures 2 and 3 are diagrammatic elevations illustrating a modificationof the in vention in which a polygonal roller engages the trays. f

`roller `.will dependupon the e (Figures 6 and?) a In vcarrying theinvention into effect according to one convenient mode asapplied to achain tray-conveyer, the tray-conveyer" over ya polygonal Yroller VOthedisposition' of the roller andthe Varbeing such that- B is caused topass rangement of the conveyer the trays 1 register with the facets 2 ofthe roller and as they pass around its axis. are inverted. The roller asindicatedabove is provided with a vseries of faces or facets each ofwhich .isi adapted in turn to register with a tray surface area so thatasthe trayspro-V ceed varound the roller they are successively coveredby the facets of the rollerjsomewhat likethe'application' of a temporarylid. The

number of the faces upon` the .polygonaland their relative disposition.The facets of the polygonal roller may adjoin one another orwhere thetrays are spaced apart, may be separated from one another by subsidiaryfacets or curved surfaces which are adapted to accommodate or correspondwithk the-spacing interval between thetrays. Sim--` ilarly, `where. thetrays are close together and if it is desired that'the tray coveringYfaces of the roller should enter into the trays, the roller may beprovided between its main faces with formations which will accommo-ldate and mesh with theltrasnsverse edges `of According to one suitablearrangement polygonalroller C is provided withsix main pair of which` asubsidiary facet'or narrow flat or curved edge 2a is provided. Thefacets are mounted between two end discs or heads 2b and itc/formed vinone with or rigidly secured to Vchain wheels', elements or teeth 2d ofwhich are adapted to mesh with the chainv B. -The roller is carried d orotherwisesecured toA of the tray conveyer by afshaft 2e keye the discs2b and2c bearingsf carried tent of the main surfaces 2 corresponds withand mounted in suitable the longitudinal extent of thetrays while thewidth of the trays.

width ofthe roller corresponds with the The flatsor subsidiary Vfacetsare adapted to register with the in.- tervals between trays.

This hexagonalroller is covered by adapted to drive iary lconveyer I( and their turning movement.

"roller,` diverges gradually thel tray-conveyer size of the trays facets2 between eachL by baskets 2g. VVThe ex-L Y orbe'driven by) an auxil`band D the upper lap of which is arranged to extend from the upper sideof the roller VC away to a `convenient delivery point. The tray-conveyerafter it leaves the hexagonal roller C may follow a'horizontal or anyother desired path. Assuming that it vfollows ya horizontal vpath 4 theupper lap of the auxiliary or delivery conveyer D may travel Vthrough asuitable distance parallel with the tray-conveyer so veyer -D or it maylivery conveyer as it leaves the hexagonal from the path of v las seenat 5.., In either case the contents will'be discharged from the traysand depositedon the conveyery and will.

not sustain shock or damage. v l Y, Forthe'purpose of ensuring thedelivery of the contents from the inverted traystheir conveyer may pass,immediately after leaving the rollerv C, through azone in whichtheconveyer is shaken or the backs 4of thetraysare'rapped or otherwiseagitated vbyknown meansso become detached from the trays and aredeposited upon the auxiliary conveyer D.

In'carrying the invention into eect'acfv v ythat the inverted trays lcan transfer their contents to theconbe preferredthat the de- Jthat thecontents, arev deliveredv or f cording to another mode, the polygonalroller C itself may be adapted-to act as a sieving orseparating means(seeFigure f TherOller `may-.comprise a framework on which .a

ievingscreen is stretchedso that the facets of the roller act as sievesorthe vwhole of the periphery thereofperforms this function.'V

According to an talternative construction, the roller may have end discsor headslC?, C2v formed inone with or rigidly secured tochain wheels,elementsvor teeth Cs with which the chain of the tray-conveyer B` isadapted to `mesh. Between theserv heads Von annular flanges formedthereon aperforat'ed vplate elementl (or elements) C4, is (or are.)mounted so that the lwhole of thesurface may ,act as meshbandD of anaps-5 a sieving means. his surface lapped by awire propriate gauge.V Thehead Clvmaybe'supported ona suitable trunnion mounting while the otherC2 ed in an appropriate race support indicated at C5. Within therollerand passing through the open endof the head C2 la fixed-chute ortroughA Cy having VdeflectingV plates C? Y is which is annular may bemount.

mounted. VVithin--the trough aV helical or',

worm conveyer C8 or other powdered` matter .falling through the screenC? is to the appropriate point of collection.4 Y

lIn-some :cases in order tocollect inkthe trough allthe material passingthroughthe screen be pivotally'mounted; as at G9,`upon the and the freeextremities of the plates C7 may ternal-surfacefof the screen plate C*for which purpose theV internalV corners fof, the

is mountedand the lstarch y* delivered axially. ofthe roller C4 the`,side deflecting plates C7 `may be adapted torideon the'gin-A rollermay be suitably curved enabling the plates Gfs to accommodate themselvesto the varying diameter of the screen C4.

According to a modilication (see Figure l) the tray-conveyer B is`adapted to pass around a roller guiding means 6 so that the trays aremaintained level and come into contact with the lower lap of anauxiliary conveyer D from whence they come under the charge of thepolygonal roller C. ln this case the device is adapted to procure theseparation of the contents of the trays, for eX- ample moulding starchand fondante, and to deliver the latter more or less free from starch.The auxiliary conveyer D is in the form of a metal net or mesh band sothat as the trays l move onto the band D in the inverted position afterleaving the polygonal roller C, the starch constituent of the trayspasses through the conveyer band D in a shower which may be collected byany suitable means, such as for example a boX or chute 7.

In order to protect the trays and the guid ing device 6 from the fallingstarch a baffle or board 9 may be positioned so that the shower ofstarch in this locality may be deflected.

If desired, the trays may be subjected to a tapping or rapping appliance8 as they pass along in contact with the band D.

Another guiding device may be positioned as at 6a to lift the trays fromthe band D or the arrangement may be such as to move them on a pathdivergent from the conveyer D.

From the guiding device 6a the tray-conor any other purpose.

According to another modification (see Figure 2) the faces of the traysinstead of being engaged by the facets of the polygonal roller C areturned away therefrom so that the backs of the trays engage and restupon the facets. The trays may be passed in a downward direction overguiding means 6 to the polygonal roller C where an auxiliary or deliveryconveyer D (which may be also adapted to act as a sieve) is mounted sothat it laps the trays, as at D', as 'they pass around the roller C sothat the faces of the trays are temporarily covered by this portion ofthe auxiliary conveyer and the contents of the trays kept in place. Inthis case as in the preceding one the trays may be subjected to arapping device 8 for discharging the contents of the trays, and guidingmeans 6a and 6b may be provided for moving the trays away from theconveyer band D and guiding the tray-conveyer on its return path. lVherethe trayconveyer D is adapted to act as a sieve a collecting chute orbox 7 may be employed.

Figure 3 illustrates a further modification of the form of the inventiondescribed above in which the tray-conveyer B passes directly under thecontrol of the polygonal roller j C without `previously being subjectedto guiding devices, suclr as 6, referred topreviously. ThefauXiliaryconveyerD is arranged to lap the trays while on the roller C as at D"and is given a divergent path 5 so that the trays separateftherefromwhile discharging their contents gradually or withoutshoclr'. Theconveyer D may be adapted to act as a sieve in. which case the powderedcontentsof the trays and starch or other matter may be collected in thebox or chute 7. The solid constituents ofthe trays, such as fondants andthe like, may be discharged from the end of the conveyer D, as at 10,onto a chute or collectingmeans 1l. The empty trays after leaving theconveyer -D may be guided or led in a suitable path to a re-chargingstation or for any appropriate treatment.

The conveyer D in each of the cases described above may be provided withmeans for keeping the laps taut or appropriately tensioned. For example,the conveyer pass over a roller such as l2 supported in resilientlymounted bearing' or bracket elements 13 (Figure 8).

The polygonal roller may be driven by any suitable means and may serveas adrive for the auxiliary or delivery conveyer. Alternatively, thepolygonal roller may be driven by the engagement or meshing actiontherewith of the trays of the tray-conveyer or by aid of chain wheelelemen'ts from the chain of the tray-conveyer. VVherethe polygonalroller C is not driven by thetray-convey'er, the drive is adjustedsothat the 'rate of revolution of the roller is arranged to synchronizewith the tray-conveyer `whereby the facets or tray-engaging surfaces onthe roller registerin succession with the trays.

Whatis claimed is i i l. A method of delivering the Vcontents from thetrays of a tray-conveyer, consisting in causing the trays to travel in apath that Y causes their inversion, coincidently closing the trays bycovering them with a flexible screening band during and after theirinversion, for depositing their contents on the band, and deliveringsaidcontents from `the trays by directing the band divergently from the pathof travel of the conveyer.

2. In combination, a tray conveyer, a polygonal roller having facetswith which trays on said conveyer register in succession, and anauxiliary conveyer consisting of a flexible screening band constrainedto pass around the roller with the trays, said band disposed relativelyto the facets and trays in a manner to constitute a temporary supportingsurface for the contents of the trays during such passage, said traysand band arranged to proceed along diverging paths zftftepl leaving theroller, for the purposes set ort 3. In combination, a trayconveyer, apolygonal rollerhaving facets with which trays on said conveyer registerin succession, and an auxiliary conveyer consisting ofa flexible bandactuated to Vtravel around the roller with the trays, said banddisposedrelatively to the facets and trays in a manner to constitute atemporary supporting surface for the contents of the trays and alsoconstituting a sieve for the separation of said contents, the paths oftravel of said trays and band diverg# ing after leaving the roller.A

4. A polygonal roller with Hat facets, a traveling` material conveyerVcarrying open trays arranged to register in order the successivelypresented facets of said roller and to remain in contact therewithduring rotation of said roller sufficient to effect inver-'- sion of thetrays, atraveling sieve band overlying the trays and constituting atemporary closure therefor durin their engagement with said facets, thepat s of travel of said band and trays diverging after leaving theroller, for the purposes set forth.

5.1*In combination, a tray-conveyer, a polygonal roller carrying saidconveyer and arranged to cause the inversion of the trays, screeningfacets on the roller adapted to successively come into register with theopen faces of successive trays, said facets temporarily constitutinglids for maintaining the contents of the; trays in position whilepassing varound the roller, a screening flexible band passing around theroller between the facets thereof andthe trays, material-collectingmeans below the facets and material-discharging meansaxially disposedWithin said roller, for vthe purposesset forth.

6. A tray conveyerl having a polygonal roller with the facets of whichthe trays are Y adapted successivelyto engage, inV combination with aperforate 4conveyer band operatively arranged to travel with and totemporarily close the trayswhile they are engaged with said facets, forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GWENDOLINE DENNING BUNCE, Adm/nistmrz' of the Estate of Jaim Percz'fvalBunce, Deceased.

